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Thursday, December 9, 2010

Carrot Cake

With all the holiday tasties coming out of the woodwork, it's easy to forget everyday treats that pack as much festive, spicy punch as "once a year" fare. A few sparkly flourishes and you can bring carrot cake to the party.

It doesn't have to be a three tiered colossus. Pick your favorite shape and bake.

Carrot Cake

This recipe can be found in my book "My Life from Scratch" but because I'm feeling generous and giving, I'm sharing it with you here. Doesn't mean I don't want you to buy the book. I do. But I also want you to bake scrumptious things right now

INGREDIENTS

for the cake

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmet

3 cups finely grated, peeled carrots (about 1 pound)

for the frosting

4 cups (2 boxes) confectioner's sugar

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla bean extract

PROCEDURE

for the cake

-preheat oven to 325º. Lightly grease your baking form

-beat together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition.

-sift together dry ingredients and add slowly to the sugar, oil and egg mixture.

-fold in the carrots.

-pour the batter into your prepared pans. Bake until the tops are golden brown and the cake springs back when you poke it. Timing depends on the size of your baking vessel. Check after 15 to 20 minutes.

for the frosting

-beat all the ingredients together until smooth and cream. Refrigerate to stiffen a bit.

Dollop and pipe at will. Make sure the cake has cooled completely and you don't have any extraneous lumps in the frosting to make piping breezy.